: any of a family (Gruidae of the order Gruiformes) of tall wading birds superficially resembling the herons but structurally more nearly related to the rails
2
: any of several herons
3
: an often horizontal projection swinging about a vertical axis: such as
a
: a machine for raising, shifting, and lowering heavy weights by means of a projecting swinging arm or with the hoisting apparatus supported on an overhead track
b
: an iron arm in a fireplace for supporting kettles
Verb
We craned our necks toward the stage. craned her head to see the roof
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Noun
When a yellow crane appears, memory and reality blur — guiding his spirit home in a final goodbye seen only by his granddaughter.—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025 Photos released this week by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard show cranes, steel framing, and concrete work underway on the massive Dry Dock 5.—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
All craned to see, Jean and Wole from above, Kelly on shore below.—David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025 The cable provides both power and access to a data network, while also allowing heavy trash to be craned out of the water and secured aboard a support vessel for responsible disposal.—New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crane
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English cran, from Old English; akin to Old High German krano crane, Greek geranos, Latin grus
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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